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Jaishankar meets Khaleda Zia's family, conveys condolences

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13:27

Rajnath hoists flag in Ram Temple complex

13:06

Jaishankar reaches Dhaka for Khaleda Zia's funeral

12:44

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12:32

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11:49

Maharashtra govt allows eateries, bars to stay open till 5 am

11:44

Family pays last respects to Khaleda Zia

11:15

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11:13

Indore water contamination: Residents claim 8 deaths

10:56

Man gets life term for raising module of Pak-based terror outfit in Assam

10:10

148 flights cancelled at Delhi airport

WTC Final Updates: SA finish Day 1 on 43-4

Wed, 11 June 2025

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22:49

Pacers put Australia on top

SA 43-4 (22 ovs) vs Aus 212 | Scorecard

Skipper Temba Bavuma finally gets off the mark - off the 31st delivery he faced - with a brace through backward square leg as the crowd applaud.

Nathan Lyon comes into the attack and bowls a 1-run over.

Hazlewood strikes in the next over, clean bowling Tristan Stubbs with a full length delivery that sneaked through the gap between bat and pad and hit the middle stump. He goes after scoring 2 off 13 balls.

David Bedingham comes to the crease and gets off the mark with a boundary through fine leg off a thick edge.

Cummins to bowl the final over of the day. Bedingham hits two consecutive fours off the final two deliveries. Its stumps on Day 1.

Australia's wicket-takers were Starc (2-10), Cummins (1-14), and Hazlewood (1-10).

Rickelton with 16 (23 balls, 3x4) top-scored for the Proteas while no other batter could reach the double digit.

South Africa are trailing by 169 runs and it needs a herculean effort on Day 2 if they are to reach anywhere near that total.

22:10

Cummins sends back Mulder

SA 26-3 (16 ovs) vs Aus 212 | Scorecard

Skipper Temba Bavuma and Wiaan Mulder grind it out after the early blows. They struggle to score as Aussie pacers Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood maintain a consistent length outside off stump and offer no freebies.

After a laborious stay at the crease, Mulder departs as Cummins gets through his gate. He is back in the dugout after scoring 6 off 44 balls.

Cummins has given away just 5 runs in his first 5 overs.

Tristan Stubbs joins the skipper in the middle.

21:35

Starc accounts for both wickets

SA 19-2 (10 ovs) vs Aus 212 | Scorecard

Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton to open for the Proteas. Markram is on strike.

Mitchell Starc will open the attack for Australia. After five dot balls, he strikes!

Markram is out, clean bowled! Length delivery shaping away from outside off, and Markram tentatively pushes but the ball takes an inside edge and crashes into his stumps. He departs without scoring.

Wiaan Mulder comes to the crease.

Hazlewood to operate from the other end.

Mulder and Rickelton add 19 runs before Starc strikes again, removing the latter with an outswinger. Usman Khawaja takes a simple catch at slip as South Africa lose both their openers.

Pitched up delivery outside off which swings away as Rickelton chases it and offers a healthy edge to Khawaja at first slip.

He goes after making 16 (3x4).

Skipper Temba Bavuma comes to the crease. Cummins bowls a maiden over.

20:47

Rabada picks up five

Aus 212 all out (56.4 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

It's all over as Rabada picks up his fifth, cleaning up Mitchell Starc, who could score only a single run.

Australia lost their last five wickets while adding just 39 runs. They had fought back after the early wickets, and were going steadily at 190-5 at Tea.

Keshav Maharaj provided the breakthrough by cleaning up Alex Carey in the second over after Tea, and after his dismissal Australia could add just 20 runs.

Steve Smith (66), and Beau Webster (72) did the bulk of the scoring, while six batters got out for single digit.

Rabada (5-51) and Jansen (3-49) were the main wicket-takers for the Proteas.

Maharaj and Markram chipped in with a wicket apiece.

20:34

Rabada, Jansen rip through Aussies

Aus 211-9 (56 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Australia lose another wicket. Beau Webster is gone, caught by Bedingham! Rabada gets rid of the set batter for his fourth scalp.

A hard length delivery outside off, and Webster pokes at it halfheartedly without zero foot movement. The ball takes an edge and flies to the slip where Bedingham takes a safe catch.

Webster departs after a solid 72 off 92 balls studded with 11 boundaries.

Nathan Lyon is the new man in.

And he lasts just three balls! Jansen bowls him through the gates as Aussies lose their ninth.

Josh Hazlewood comes to the crease.

20:24

Maharaj sends back Carey; Rabada gets his 3rd

Aus 202-7 (54 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Keshav Maharaj breaks the 42-run partnership! He cleans up Alex Carey and provides the breakthrough soon after the Tea break.

Carey attempts to reverse-sweep a loopy straight delivery but could not connect as the ball spins inwards to knocks down the middle stump.

Carey departs after making 23 off 31 balls (4x4).

Skipper Pat Cummins comes to the crease and joins Beau Webster, who bats on 56.

Out! Rabada gets rid of Cummins with a peach of a delivery.

A length delivery which angled in from outside off but straightens a bit as Cummins looked to defend it. The ball hits the top of the off-stump as Cummins looks back disappointingly. He could score just 1 off 6 balls.

Rabada picks up his third.

Mitchell Starc is the new man in.

19:52

Webster gets his half-century before Tea

Aus 190-5 (50 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Beau Webster brings up his fifty off just 69 balls. He rode his luck, but has capitalised on loose balls that came his way.

After the fall of Smith, Webster, in the company of Alex Carey, did not let the South Africans to dominate as they scored freely and put up a partnership of 40 off just 48 balls.

Carey was the aggressor of the two as he kept the scoreboard ticking with quick singles and odd boundaries.

Webster is batting on 55 off 76 deliveries with the help of eight boundaries, while Carey is on 22 off 29 (four boundaries).

At tea, Australia are scoring at a healthy rate of 3.8.

This session has belonged to them, scoring 48 runs off the last 10 overs while losing one wicket.

19:14

Markram with the breakthrough

Aus 146-5 (42 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Aiden Markram comes into the attack. After a single and four dot balls he gets the big wicket of Steve Smith. The bowling change has worked for SA!

A tossed up delivery outside off, Smith drives confidently, but the ball takes a thick outside-edge and Jansen at slip almost fumbles it but completes the catch on the third attempt.

Smith was looking good for a big knock and this is a big moment in the game. Smith departs after a valiant 66 off 112 deliveries studded with 10 boundaries.

Alex Carey is the new man in. He joins Beau Webster in the middle, who is batting on 37.

18:44

Smith, Webster with rescue act

Aus 123-4 (37 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Steve Smith brings up his fifty off 76 balls at a strike rate of 65.79. He has hit 10 fours so far.

Smith and Beau Webster have stitched together a 50-run partnership off 79 balls.

Smith is batting on 62 while Webster is on 18.

Despite the top-order collapse, Australia have maintained a decent rate of 3.29.

South Africa bring in Keshav Maharaj, the lone specialist spinner in the squad, in the 37th over.

He concedes 6 runs off his first over as Smith hits him for a boundary over mid-wicket.

18:11

Smith wages a lone battle

Aus 94-4 (30 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

After lunch, Steve Smith and Beau Webster have built a 27-run partnership off 36 balls for the Aussies.

Smith is batting on 45 and has maintained a decent strike rate of 61.65, hitting eight fours so far. Webster is on 8 off 19 balls.

In the meantime, Smith has survived a huge LBW appeal off Marco Jansen. Bavuma reviewed but the impact was umpire's call and the on-filed decision of not out was upheld.

Off the next ball, Webster survived an LBW appeal and he too was saved by the umpire's call.

South Africa have continued to operate with their four pacers and the lone specialist spinner in the squad - Keshav Maharaj - is expected to come into the attack soon.

17:09

Australia four down as Rabada and Jansen strike

Aus 67-4 (23.2 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Marco Jansen continues and Head is on strike.

Head is beaten as he goes for a drive but the ball shapes away and goes past the edge.

Out! Head is gone, caught by Verreynne!

Big blow for Australia as they lose their fourth wicket. Pitched up delivery angling down the leg side and Head tries to flick it away but the ball takes an edge and goes to the keeper. He departs after making 11 runs with the help of a boundary.

With Rabada and Jansen picking up two wickets apiece, the session has belonged to South Africa.

Smith is still at the crease, on 28. He has hit five boundaries so far.

16:40

Jansen removes Labuschagne

Aus 47-3 (19 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Marco Jansen is back into the attack and he goes round the wicket. After a couple of singles he hits Labuschagne on the shoulder with a bouncer, but the ball goes above the slip cordon and races away to the boundary.

Out! Labuschagne departs, caught by Verreynne!

Jansen picks up his first wicket of the final. A good length ball with scrambled seam outside off and Labuschagne half-heartedly tries to defend it, but ends poking at it and offers a simple catch to the 'keeper.

Labuschagne departs after scoring 17. He has hit one boundary in the 56-ball knock.

Travis Head is the new man in.

16:17

Labuschagne, Smith stay defiant

Aus 37-2 (15 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Marcus Labuschagne and Steve Smith have steadied the ship after a shaky start.

Labuschagne, who is opening for Australia at Test level for the first time, is batting on 17 while Smith, who came to the crease after the fall of Cameron Green, is on 5.

South Africa have used four pacers so far - Rabada, Jansen, Ngidi, and Mulder.

Rabada, after bowling three maiden overs on the trot, picked up two wickets in his fourth over. South African fielders too deserve some credit as they took two brilliant catches at slip.

Labuschagne, despite being beaten on a couple of occasions, has been solid so far. Smith has been constantly shuffling and shifting across the crease, in a bid to upset the bowler's line and length.

15:43

Rabada with twin strikes

Aus 18-2 (8 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Rabada continues and conceds the first run after 19 deliveries.

Labuschagne shuffles and tucks the length delivery to backward short leg for a single.

Out! Khawaja is out caught by Bedingham!

Rabada with the breakthrough. Khawaja is undone by the uneven bounce as he offers a thick edge to the first slip. He goes without scoring after facing 20 deliveries.

This is the sixth time in 11 Tests that Khawaja fell to Rabada.

Cameron Green is the new man in. And he starts off with a boundary.

Out! Green departs caught by Aiden Markram!

Two wickets in his fourth over for Rabada after bowling three consecutive maidens. What a spell!

A fuller delivery angling in, but shapes away late and takes the outside edge as Green goes forward to defend it. A brilliant low diving catch by Markram.

Steven Smith comes to the crease.

15:25

Rabada with three consecutive maidens

Aus 5-0 (5 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne will open the innings for the Aussies. This is Labuschagne's maiden outing as an opener for Australia at Test level.

Khawaja is on strike.

Rabada will open the attack for South Africa. The weather is mostly cloudy and breezy.

Rabada starts off with a maiden over as he could generate some late swing.

Marco Jansen to operate from the other end. Labuschagne is on strike.

Jansen keeps a tight length hitting the deck hard. Another maiden over!

Rabada continues and sends down a couple of probing deliveries outside the off-stump line. Khawaja plays it safe. Three maidens on the trot!

Jansen with his second over and after 21 dot balls, Australia finally get off the mark.

Labuschagne gets a brace off a thick outside edge to open his account as the ball flies towards deep backward square leg.

5 runs off the over.

Rabada returns and clicks 143 kph twice. Three maidens on the bounce for the speedster!

14:59

South Africa opt to bowl first vs Australia

South Africa's skipper Temba Bavuma has won the toss and has decided to bowl first in the World Test Championship final against defending champions Australia at Lord's.

Bavuma said, "Will have a bowl first looking at the overhead conditions. Looks like a good pitch. Too late to change the team, we have selected the best combination. All 15 of us are confident. We all have had some allegiance to Lord's, the emotion will hit us when the anthems stat playing. It is a massive final, it should be a spectacle out here."

Australia's skipper Pat Cummins said, "Happy to bat first. Looks like a good wicket with a few clouds. Prep wise it has been unreal, 15 guys working very hard for that title. We have had about 10 days prep and we are ready. Doesn't feel like any extra pressure. We've been here before and we've won it. This week is all about enjoying the moment."

Have a look at the Playing XIs:

South Africa: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (Captain), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (Wicketkeeper), Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.

Australia: Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (Wicketkeeper), Pat Cummins (Captain), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.

14:47

Australia, South Africa chase history

Welcome to the coverage of the World Test Championship (WTC) final between Australia and South Africa at Lord's, London, on Wednesday, June 11, 2025.

South Africa will be determined to shed the unwanted tag of perennial chokers and end their 27-year wait for an ICC trophy when the lock horns with the defending champions Australia.

This is Australia's second WTC final, and they will be looking to become the first team to defend the title, having beaten India in the 2023 final.

The Temba Bavuma-led South Africa will be keen to win their first title since 1998 in an ICC senior mens event.

The Proteas played 12 matches in the 2023-25 WTC cycle and entered the final as table-toppers with a win percentage of 69.44. They registered eight wins, three defeats and a draw.

Their batting line-up is a mix of youth and experience, featuring the likes of Ryan Rickelton, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, as well as skipper Bavuma.

The bowling unit, led by Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi, has the wherewithal to contain the formidable Aussies.

Australia, on the other hand, are going through a purple patch, having dispatched India, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka to comfortably seal their spot in the final.

The Baggy Greens boast a wealth of experience with Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, and Travis Head leading the batting department.

They have a rounded bowling unit too, led by Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, and skipper Cummins.

The match is scheduled to start at 3:30 pm IST (11:00 am local time) at the iconic Lords Cricket Ground.

Playing XIs:

Australia: Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (Wicketkeeper), Pat Cummins (Captain), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.

South Africa: Temba Bavuma (Captain), Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verrynne, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.

WTC Final Updates: SA finish Day 1 on 43-4

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